PORTLAND, MAINE - The Eastern League of Professional Baseball is pleased to announce the league nominees for the Rawlings Woman Executive of the Year Award, the John Henry Moss Community Service Award, the Larry MacPhail Award, and the John H. Johnson President's Award. The winners of these awards are selected by Minor League Baseball and will be honored at the 2013 Baseball Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida.

The New Hampshire Fisher Cats are the Eastern League nominee for the John H. Johnson President's Award, which is used to honor a "complete" baseball franchise that has demonstrated franchise stability while making significant contributions to its community, its league and to the baseball industry. Under the guidance of owner Art Solomon and President Rick Brenner, the Fisher Cats have become one of the model franchises in all of Minor League Baseball. The Fisher Cats finished ranked fourth in the league with a total attendance of 353,639 in 2013, the seventh straight year the team has drawn more than 350,000 fans. The Fisher Cats have also become synonymous with their work within their community, providing more than $3.5-million in cash and in-kind donations to more than 4,000 organizations since 2006.

The Eastern League nominee for the Larry MacPhail Award, which is given to a club in Minor League Baseball that has demonstrated outstanding and creative marketing and promotional efforts, is the Bowie Baysox. The Baysox had a promotional schedule that featured numerous events, giveaways and appearances throughout the spring and summer months. In addition to their in-game efforts, the Baysox also provided fans plenty of reasons to come out to the ballpark when the team wasn't playing, including their annual tradition of converting Prince George's Stadium from a baseball stadium into a full-fledged haunted house during the month of October. The team is also heavily involved in the community through projects such as Louie's Holiday Hope Project, which helped multiple families in need.

For the John Henry Moss Community Service Award, which is given to a club that demonstrates an outstanding, on-going commitment to charitable service, support and leadership, the Eastern League is nominating the Reading Fightin Phils. The Reading franchise raised nearly $100,000 for numerous organizations through their in-stadium efforts and also had their players and front office staff make numerous community appearances through the year. Additionally, through Baseballtown Charities, the charitable organization of the Reading franchise, the team has been working to raise $75,000 for renovations at Baer Park, a local youth field in dire need of repairs. The work at Baer Park will be the first of several projects Baseballtown Charities will be completing to help with much needed field renovations throughout Reading.

The Rawlings Woman Executive of the Year award is given out annually to one woman who has made an outstanding contribution to her club, league or to baseball. For this award the Eastern League is pleased to nominate Liz Riley of the Portland Sea Dogs. The 2013 season was Liz's seventh as a member of the Sea Dogs front office, and has advanced to the position of Assistant General Manager, Sales and Promotions. In that role Liz has helped the Sea Dogs grow their corporate sales revenue while also overseeing all of the promotional efforts at Hadlock Field on a nightly basis. Liz is also heavily involved within the community, including being a member of the board for the Ronald McDonald House, and serving as a mentor with the Goodwill Good Guides program.

This story was not subject to the approval of the National Association of Professional Baseball Leagues or its clubs.